A) MAYWOOD is our "Jerusalem."  Pray that God would God would gloriously redeem the years that the swarming locust have eaten among His people in Maywood (Joel 2:25). Maywood is busting out at the seams with people who are loved by God - real people with real names and with real needs. As a community with many serious issues, our only hope is that we actually live by things like faith, hope, and love instead of just talking about them. We are not facing a dysfunctional culture that sprang up overnight; it's generations in the making. So, we are trusting God to actively work to to do what he does best - REDEEM.

With that, we're not sure if life in Maywood is not as bad as we had initially thought, or maybe it's actually improved since we arrived. In reality, Maywood is what it is, so that we are convinced that God is answering our requests for courage and boldness. For example, the murder tally was up to 20 in 2003 (that's 13 times the national rate) and has since dropped to 10 or 11 in subsequent years, but in 2008 Maywood murders jumped to 14. Then in 2009-10, we saw a huge dip. In fact there were ZERO murders for a whole year! No one seems to remember the last time this had happened. We prayed that this might become a trend, only to discover that peace in Maywood is but an anomaly. The murders, shooting and violence have shot up once again to alarming levels and no one knows why. May I proffer an reason?

In a town that boasts 90%+ "born again" and 75%+ "churched," Jesus is a cultural icon, a good luck charm, a magic spell, and even an idol, but not the Savior, who is Lord, Master, and God! Please continue to pray for the crime and violence that burdens our community. It is only as we remember our Father's trustworthiness that all worries and fears melt away. Pray that God would break the strongholds of lawlessness, complacency, indifference. Pray that God will break the grip of the Evil One in Maywood. Pray that God's faithful remnant will arise and champion revival in the "Village of Eternal Light."

We desire to see regularly-meeting adult prayer and Bible study groups which will expand by multiplication, grow and mature into a "pre-congregations", and then into a church. Pray that God would give people an urgent thirst to know him! Our ministry to local kids through Backyard Bible Club for kids continues to exhibit the closest thing to a regularly-meeting group. This past summer we expanded our efforts to minister to kids by providing additional days of Backyard Bible Club and by having various mission teams come alongside us to put on large-scale outreach events!  

B) On COLLEGIATE CAMPUSES, we engage "Judea, Samaria, and the Ends..." Pray for our collegiate ministries. While we openly engage anyone, our strategic concern is for the salvation of internationals. The nations of the world have already come to Chicago, and some of their brightest are on our college campuses. We believe God has called theCommunity to reach the world through these future indigenous missionaries.

Our campus work at Solex College-Wheeling is becoming increasingly established into the fabric of its campus life. Now, new doors are opening up for us at Solex-Chicago, Truman College in Chicago, Morton College in Cicero, Oakton College in DesPlaines, at Triton College in River Grove (again), and at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago (again), too! We are in the midst of planning and strategizing our entry as well as following up with many "interested" contacts. Pray with us that the Lord will give us favor at these campuses and that he will give us eyes to see where, when, and how to minister to these campuses.

2) ...for the Radiant Bride of Christ

A) GOD'S LABORERS, HIS MISSIONARIES AND HIS MISSION TEAMS. Even now we are prayerfully undergoing our ministries for 2010. We continue to host and assemble and enlist new mission teams, missionaries, partners and resources for a exciting year of Kingdom-building! Pray to the Lord of the harvest that he would send workers into the field! Pray that the Lord would instruct us in the way to go forward. Already, we are expecting that 200+ missionaries will have come through by the end of  2010.  We'll also host 5-6 summer missionaries who will serve alongside us. Pray that his servants would see where, when, and how the Master is working and then accept his invitation to work alongside him. Pray that God use his Radiant Bride to gather an abundant harvest in 2011!

B) CHICAGO'S FIRST MISSION HOUSE.  We have begun a prayer campaign to see at least three "mission houses" around Chicagoland for the hosting and housing of God's laborers. Missionaries are coming and they will continue to come, but there are few places for them to rest their heads at night. It is our hope and prayer to see the first "mission house" established in Maywood due to its strategic location, its affordability, and its own missional and ministry needs.

Paul tells us that Jesus is the One who is presenting His Church to Himself as radiant, glorious, and splendid (Eph 5:25-27). According to the prophet Isaiah, the people of God rejoice for it is God who has clothed them in "garments of salvation" and "arrayed" them in a "robe of righteousness" (61:10). Yet, while the first half of the verse envisions Yahweh doing the dressing of his Bride, the rest of the text implies that the Bride must do the wearing (cf. Rev 19:8). 

Pray that the people of God would receive and display the adornments of God as a Bride displays her wedding adornments - even as she is herself an adornment to be displayed by God as a "crown of beauty" in the hand of her Bridegroom. Pray that the radiance of the Bride would broadcast the righteousness of her Husband and King, Jesus.

3) ...that the Holy Spirit would prepare more Persons of Peace (P.O.P's)

Why do we continue to list this request and why is it so important? We are in a highly cross-cultural context that naturally brings with it additional barriers for engaging our neighbors with the love of Jesus. Finding the true "person(s) of peace" prepared by God is like finding a key which unlocks the door to thruways which were previously inaccessible to us! There are embedded circles of influence which are difficult to penetrate without the help of the "P.O.P."

A) This has been a year of emotional ups and down. Please pray against the powers and the principalities who work tirelessly to maintain a firm grip on what they assume to be their own. Only by the blood of the Lamb and word of our testimony can Satan's work be undone

B) Without going into much detail, we ask the Lord to do what he has continually done throughout the time before and during our life and ministry in Maywood. He has taken care of all of our material needs. Having said that, we confess that we are experiencing a crisis of faith as we face great financial uncertainty. While we have never operated at better than 80% of budget, the last two years have seen a significant and continual decline in our financial partnerships. I dare not blame circumstances (as if we were merely helpless victims); rather, we recognize these trials as another opportunity to witness the faithfulness of God through the relevant support of his people. If you currently are or have been a partner of this work in Maywood, I ask you to prayerfully consider whether you believe the continuation of this work is of any value - value that provokes your commensurate support.

5) ...Pray and Praises for ministry needs

A) Praise God! It's not even the end of the year, and we have several different mission teams that we've lined up for spring and summer outreaches and ministries. Maybe your church or group of friends are interested in coming alongside us? Don't hesitate to ask how you can get involved; we are a very accommodating host. We're planning on casting our net a bit wider as we outreach to new neighborhoods that are adjacent to ours, and we need help!

B) In 2009, we had the pleasure of hosting our first three summer missionaries through the North American Mission Board.  Ashley, Kendra, and Claire helped us with ministry in Maywood and in many other ways as well. God answered prayers for excellent interns and that's exactly what we got! Then in 2010, He did it again and sent us Ashlee, Jeanna, Katie, Kristina, and MyeongUk! Then in 2011, the Lord provided Ashton, Heather, Meagen. Nikki, and Quinn.

Pray that the Lord will continue to send more laborers into the harvest! Thank you, Jesus, for always providing laborers and supporters for this field, all our advocates, all the generous donors, and what we trust will be an awesome workers in 2012.  We have every intention of making sure that they are cared for. We desire to do all that is within our power to host them with gracious hospitality.  Pray that God affords us all the means to do so.

C) Pray that God would raise up indigenous harvesters, too. Having a bunch of Anglo and Asian missionaries serving in a predominantly Black and Latino community can only go so far. We plead with God to raise up godly role models (especially young men) who will tend the King's vineyards!

D) To our dear advocates: know that we appreciate your continued support of God's work. Please prayerfully consider how the Lord may be leading you to get involved in new ways. "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few" (Mt 9:39). Praise our heavenly Father for those who prayerfully and generously advocate for us in Maywood. We are especially thankful for those individuals and teams that have incarnationally come alongside us.